Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Waterloo student, CECA feted at Diabetes Research Forum

By Clare Flood.

On May 27, Co-operative Education & Career Action (CECA) attended the local Canadian Diabetes Association’s (CDA) Research Forum held at The Court in Laurelwood, Waterloo. Account Manager Kerry Lazenby and Student Advisor Jenn Basler were in attendance on behalf of CECA.

Keynote speaker Grant Maltman, curator of the Banting House National Historic site, gave a presentation on the history of diabetes and current research. Afterward, there was an awards ceremony to recognize volunteers who made a significant impact in the past year. Basler accepted the “Regional Outstanding Corporate Award” on behalf of CECA for their partnership with CDA in recruiting students.

3A Mathematics student Abraham Lin was awarded the “Young Volunteer Award” for his dedication and hard work on a spring 2014 work term with CDA.

Congratulations Abraham!

Renison hosts residential school survivor for talk today

On Wednesday, June 17 at 12:30 p.m., Renison will host a talk by Lila Bruyere, a residential school survivor who attended St. Margaret Residential School in Fort Frances, ON, from 1959 to 1967. Bruyere, originally from Couchiching First Nation, graduated with her master’s degree in the Aboriginal Field of Study program at Wilfrid Laurier University.

The public talk is part of the twenty-two days of remembrance, reconciliation, and prayer that are currently being observed at Renison University College as part of the #22days campaign by the Anglican Church of Canada.

As Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) delivered its report on residential schools earlier this month, the Anglican Church has been called to 22 days of prayer and renewal to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to healing and reconciliation for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of Canada. The Anglican Church was involved in the running of many residential schools, and has been engaged in the work of repentance and examination since the apology given by Primate Michael Peers on behalf of the wider church in 1993.

Sharing oral accounts from darker parts of Canadian history is imperative to the development of empathy and social conscientiousness in future generations, according to research by Professor Kristina Llewellyn, Associate Professor in Social Development Studies at Renison. “If you believe that we are historically improving naturally, then no-one is making a stand. You need to understand the injustices and trauma that occurred in the past; this is critical to ensuring that it doesn’t happen again,” says Llewellyn.

The #22days campaign began on Sunday, May 31, at the start of the TRC closing event in Ottawa, and will lead up to the National Aboriginal Day of Prayer on Sunday, June 21. To find out more about Lila Bruyere or the #22days campaign at Renison, visit Renison's website.

Drama to stage Henry The Sixth Part One

The Department of Drama and Speech Communication is presenting a special spring production of Shakespeare’s “Henry the Sixth Part One”.

"Rarely performed and little known, the first play in Shakespeare’s first tetralogy is more than a simple preface to the more famous, substantive pieces that follow it," says a statement from Drama and Speech Communication. "Hugely popular in its day and featuring memorable characters – brave Talbot, Joan of Arc – deemed worthy of mention in accounts by Shakespeare’s contemporaries, Henry the Sixth, Part One is a play filled with raucous energy, incessant swordplay, political intrigue, and the first sparks that set off the bloody Wars of the Roses."

This production differs from the department’s regular fare, as they have taken their show on the road. The cast and crew recently finished a presentation in Toronto as part of the Festival of Early Drama, performing to a sold-out house and appreciative audience. The production is being presented on campus this week before the show goes out on tour again to the Three Ladies of London in Context Conference in Hamilton at McMaster University on June 24.

Faculty director Jennifer Roberts-Smith is exploring historical working practices to stage this 90-minute work adapted by post-doctoral fellow Toby Malone. Aided by fight director Daniel Levinson, the cast of 15 students is bringing this production to life in “a loud and visceral manner.” The minimalistic set is designed by Paul Stoesser with costumes by Sharon E. Secord.

A play steeped in real-world history, the production features a substantial amount of fight choreography and a lot of humour. The cast will take audiences through 32 years of bloody British history in the blink of an eye.

Performances are at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20 at the Theatre of the Arts. General admission is $17, with students and seniors paying $13, and eyeGO tickets are $5.

Wednesday's notes

The First Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society of Canada will be held at the University of Waterloo beginning today and running to Friday, June 19.

Biophysical techniques and discoveries have revolutionized research and technological developments, advancing materials research, bio-and nano-technologies, biosensing, medicine, and pharmaceutical research.

Hosted by the University of Waterloo, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) and the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology (CBB), this first annual meeting provides a unique opportunity for students and researchers in academia and industry to learn about most recent advances in Biophysics and Nanotechnology through invited lectures and student talks/posters as well as exhibits by companies. 

For more information, please visit the event website.

The Staff Relations Committee wants all staff to know that it has opened up the first portion of its meetings to members of the University community and regularly has agenda items of interest to staff members in all units of the university. At the meeting this Monday, June 22 starting at 12:30 p.m., there will be a discussion on membership trends for the University of Waterloo Staff Association and the association’s engagement with the campus community on this issue to date. The meeting will be in Needles Hall 3001 and the committee invites you to bring your lunch and join them in learning more about this issue.

Employers on campus next week hosting employer information sessions include Spin Master Ltd.. Visit the information session calendar for more information.